Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario: Outcry Over Second Construction Worker Death in Same Week

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 27, 2014) - Ontarians are again in shock and mourning after a construction worker was hit by a dump truck and killed this morning in Milton. "We are tragically witnessing a pattern of needless, completely preventable workplace deaths," noted a distraught Patrick Dillon, Business Manager of the Provincial Building Trades.

The death follows another incident earlier this week when 22 year-old Sarmad Iskander died after falling from a condo construction site in downtown Toronto. "These unspeakable tragedies where people go into work to provide for their families, and never come back are not just unacceptable, they are incomprehensible and we must end them now," said Dillon, urging the Premier to take drastic action.

"I expect this epidemic of workplace deaths and injuries to be addressed head-on by the government in next week's Throne Speech, to ensure that every possible effort is made to prevent further carnage," urged Dillon.

"When you're going into work to do a job, it doesn't matter if you're wearing a police uniform or construction gear, every worker in Ontario has the right to expect a safe work environment that employers must provide and governments must enforce," stressed Dillon who added that "Workplace deaths should never happen -- period."

He added that "All workers, regardless of their uniform, should have the same respect shown to them by our elected leaders, if we are to bring this issue to the forefront of people's minds in driving the change we need."

"Ontario's Prevention authorities, the Ministry of Labour, WSIB, employers and organized labour bear the responsibility to protect workers from harm and the only way we will see safer workplaces is if they all step-up to the plate," said Dillon.

The Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario represents 150,000 trades workers throughout the province.